From owner-diesel-benz-digest-at-digest.net Mon Sep 1 09:16:00 2003 From: diesel-benz-digest diesel-benz-digest Sunday, August 31 2003 Volume 01 : Number 1199 Forum for Discussion of Diesel Mercedes Benz Automobiles Derick Amburgey Digest Coordinator Contents: [db] Re: thanks [db] Anaeis' radiator neck [db] Re: radiator and transmission questions [db] Re: Threadlocker [db] Re: Threadlocker Re: [db] Anaeis' radiator neck [db] VIN puzzle..... Re: [db] Re: Threadlocker Diesel Benz Digest Home Page: http://www.digest.net/diesel-benz/ Send submissions to diesel-benz-digest-at-digest.net Send administrative requests to diesel-benz-digest-request-at-digest.net To unsubscribe, include the word unsubscribe by itself in the body of the message, unless you are sending the request from a different address than the one that appears on the list. Include the word help in a message to stag-digest-request to get a list of other majordomo commands. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Sat, 30 Aug 2003 14:30:17 -0700 From: john Subject: [db] Re: thanks sounds like you have a good mechanic. jiffy lube every 3k if it's a diesel rated oil is fine. my '91 had that care, I think they used quakerstate 15w40 diesel oil, the key is the 3k intervals, even a humble dino oil changed that often will work ok. if the car has been to that jiffy lube they know it and stock the filters, the records I have on my car indicate they are diesel smart. so this sounds ok to me. john At 01:34 PM 8/30/2003, Anaeis N wrote: >Thank you, John and Sam. > >I'm seeing my mechanic about the radiator and oil leak ASAP after the >holiday. Thanks for giving me a head start on understanding the problems. > >My mechanic shop knows diesels Benzes inside out, so they're good for >repairs and such, but they have so much business -- their lot is >constantly full of imports both vintage and new, their phone is constantly >ringing every time I'm in the office. As a result, they're not interested >in doing the small things like oil changes and fluid checks. At $100 an >hour, I can't really afford it, either. So I'm in a quandry about who to >go to for maintenance, as the only other Mercedes owner I know lives 200 >miles away. (He's done both the oil changes I've had in my 6 months of >Benz ownership.) > >My car has service records dating back 12 years. The paperwork verifies >oil changes, etc. by Jiffy Lube every 3,000 miles, so I figured JL >couldn't be that bad. Perhaps I should investigate a diesel mechanic more >moderately priced than my normal shop that might be willing to do the >monthly stuff? > >The auto class is a good idea -- I'll check around. Thanks for your >encouragement and freely shared information. > >R > >P.S. My mucho expensive mechanic shop is not a dealership, like you may be >thinking.(Can you picture the MB guys laughing at my olive-green '82 >coupe?) I like the down-to-earth attitude my shop has, and apparently so >does everybody else who doesn't drive an '03 model around here. >Yahoo! SiteBuilder - Free, easy-to-use web site design software - ------------------------------------------------------------------ http://www.WAGONEERS.com/ Snohomish, WA - where Jeeps don't rust, they mold... Jesus, don't leave life without him, please! - ------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 31 Aug 2003 00:47:48 GMT From: mjmason-at-juno.com Subject: [db] Anaeis' radiator neck I'll *emphatically* second Jon F's point about the radiator neck usually only cracking from age or abuse... my old '80 240D ran exclusively on the ethylene- (or is it propylene?)-glycol (green) anti-freeze for 20+ years. Absolutely no signs of wear, cracking, etc. The only reason we had to "R&R" that radiator with a salvaged one from an '82 was due to its unfortunate acquaintance with a deer, on a poorly lit country road in rural Iowa. (The neck on that one was great too.) Good luck, Anaeis, and welcome. (Where did you say you were located, roughly?) - -Matt in IL ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 30 Aug 2003 22:42:09 -0400 From: Mike Frank Subject: [db] Re: radiator and transmission questions I'm a little late on this, but I think I can add a bit of confirmation, and some original suggestions: 1) Totally unrelated. Just age and bad luck. 2) If your filler neck is broken, it's probably normal wear and tear. Don't buy any BS about anti-freeze, there are thousands of plastic header radiators out there with dozens of different anti freeze concoctions, and they're all gonna last about 15-30 years, you are "in the zone". If this is the problem, then just replace the rad. If it's the hose, that's normal too, just replace it. The only mechanical condition I can think of that might exacerbate the problem would be really, really bad motor mounts and engine shocks, which would allow excessive vibration to bear on the radiator via the hoses. Do you get a lot of shake at idle? If so, have someone look at the mounts. 3) No. You are most likely low on freon. You might want to convert to R134, as charging with R12 is getting mighty expensive. Have your A/C inspected by a competent, licensed A/C specialist, or your MB dealer. It's gonna cost some bucks, but if you let the pump 'n' fill guy squirt some freon into the system, you may end up with an even more expensive repair down the road. 4) The leak is probably oil, but if by center you mean near the center console, it could be A/C lubricant. This would be consistent with a freon leak. You would need to remove the underdash panel to see what's up. If it's the oil gauge, have it attended to fast, because at 3 bar pressure, it will get much worse very fast. There's one other possibility, but it's almost too awful to mention. The vacuum source in your car is a pump on the front of the motor. If the diaphragm has ruptured, oil can be pushed into the entire vacuum system. The oil will gradually destroy all of your vacuum controls, which is a long list of critical items. If this is the case, it would almost be best to ditch the car, especially if you are dependent on an expensive shop to do your repair work. Better get that panel unbuttoned and see what's up. 5) There must be folks in your area who own Diesels, ask them where they go for service. Where do you live, anyway? Your car should really have fresh oil every 2500-3000 miles, which is a lot of oil changes. I don't know how you feel about doing these yourself, but it's not a hard car to service if you want to do so. The oil filter is right on top, and you can use a topsider to draw the old oil out through the dipstick tube...you don't even have to crawl underneath. 6) After you've driven the car for at least half an hour, stop somewhere and with your foot on the brake, set the tranny in each gear, one at a time. Allow the gear to engage before you shift to the next gear. When you're done, put the car in neutral, leave it running, and set the hand brake. Withdraw the tranny dipstick, wipe it, reinsert it. Then withdraw it again and read the level. Smell the fluid...it should have a bitter smell, but if it smells burned, then you have a tranny problem. 7) R&R means remove and replace in workshop manual talk. It means Rolls & Royce in mechanic speak, because that's the kind of car they'll hope to be buying if they get you on the hook. Mike Frank ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 31 Aug 2003 08:28:13 -0700 From: Greg Fiorentino Subject: [db] Re: Threadlocker At 07:12 AM 8/30/03 , Mike Frank wrote: >Whey you get any brake-system related bolts from the dealer, they are >coated with a blue thread locker. I've tried doing this with various >grades of Locktite, and it doesn't work. All the Locktite products seem to >require the part to be assembled while the locker is wet. Does anyone know >what the stuff is on factory parts? > >Mike Frank IIRC There used to be a product called Nylok that served a similar function to the nuts that have a nylon insert after the threads. That was not a glue, but a tough material that provided an interference fit when assembled dry. Could be something similar. I simply cleaned the bolts off well and used loctite blue on mine. Greg Greg Fiorentino Vancouver USA gfior-at-dslnorthwest.net '84 300D Turbo '79 300TD '85 F-350 6.9 crew cab ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 31 Aug 2003 16:08:35 -0400 From: "J.B. Hebert" Subject: [db] Re: Threadlocker Go to www.mcmaster.com and search for "threadlocker". Scroll down to "Vibra-Tite Removable/Reusable Threadlocker". It's available in 1 oz. and 8 oz. containers. J.B. At 10:12 AM 8/30/2003 -0400, you wrote: >Whey you get any brake-system related bolts from the dealer, they are >coated with a blue thread locker. I've tried doing this with various >grades of Locktite, and it doesn't work. All the Locktite products seem to >require the part to be assembled while the locker is wet. Does anyone know >what the stuff is on factory parts? > >Mike Frank ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 31 Aug 2003 13:11:46 -0700 From: "derick" Subject: Re: [db] Anaeis' radiator neck Why they use plastic I dunno. My upper neck broke too shortly after my rebuild. I had new hoses, new everything. They just get old an brittle. Best price on a new 190d automatic radiator I found is $175.00. I hope the one for your car is less. I have not bought one yet, I stole the one out of the 84 I am rebuilding, but I will have too sooner or later. Good luck, Derick ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 31 Aug 2003 13:20:25 -0700 From: "derick" Subject: [db] VIN puzzle..... Hey guys, I am trying to find a web site where I can decode a VIN number for this 82. It is not like my other cars where the chassis number is in the numer. (201.xxx or 123.xxx) Anybody been there done that? Derick Amburgey Seatac Airport/STS [db] list mom 1985 190d "Tuti" 1984 190d "Charity" (In work) 1982 300d Turbo "" (In San Diego) 1981 VW "Caddy" 1.6L diesel ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 31 Aug 2003 18:50:21 -0400 From: Mike Frank Subject: Re: [db] Re: Threadlocker Nort really a repair question. I need to ship parts in commercial quantities, and I neither want to pay for assembly, nor do I trust the customer to apply locktite. Seems like the stuff Mercedes uses would be perfect, if I can figure out what it is. Mike Frank At 08:28 AM 8/31/2003 -0700, you wrote: >I simply cleaned the bolts off well and used loctite blue on mine. ------------------------------ End of diesel-benz-digest V1 #1199 **********************************